Syria urges end to infiltration of militants from Turkey, Jordan

Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem says international efforts to end the conflict should focus on stopping militants entering Syria from Turkey and Jordan.

The Syrian foreign minister on Friday also highlighted the need for implementing “UN Security Council resolutions on fighting terror.”

Syria says Turkey is arming militant groups fighting against the government of President Bashar al-Assad and allowing them to enter the country.

Damascus also says Jordan supports and trains militants in a territory in southern Syria. Both Turkey and Jordan deny the claims.

Last week, the UN Security Council approved a resolution and endorsed an international roadmap for peace in the war-torn country.

It called for a ceasefire, talks between the Syrian government and opposition forces, and formation of a transitional government.

On Thursday, Muallem said Syria would be ready to participate in the upcoming peace talks in Geneva as soon as it received a list of the opposition delegates due to attend the talks and the “terrorist organizations” to be barred from the negotiations.

The Syrian conflict, which started in March 2011, has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people, according to the UN.

The world body says 12.2 million people, including more than 5.6 million children, remain in need of humanitarian assistance. The foreign-sponsored militancy has also internally displaced 7.6 million people.